Essay On The Influence Of Mormon Culture On My Life

Everyone comes from different backgrounds and people are often, at least partially, a product of the environment they were raised in. Some of the factors that can influence individuals as they are being raised include the family’s economic status, political affiliation, and religious beliefs. For me, one strong influence on my childhood and life now is being raised in a family of devout Mormons. While I am no longer associated or a member of the Mormon Church the differences in culture still left long lasting impressions on my life. Being raised as a member of the Mormon Church and later leaving the religion influenced the way I think, specifically in regards to the differences of other peoples and cultures and the way that I act in my life.

At some points in childhood Mormon children are expected to attend church 7-10 times a week. For many this constant influence develops a very strong testimony for the religion, while for me while this did not develop a strong religious testimony, it did provide me with an ability to adhere to strict schedules and regimens even when I do not enjoy what I was doing. I believe this helped me to develop a strong work ethic. Some guidelines in the church prohibit members from certain activities, while not using tobacco and alcohol is easy for a child things such as restraining from beverage like sweet tea and coffee can often lead to awkward situations. In addition to the strict guidelines being raised in a religion that is very different from the people around you can often lead to ridicule and criticism for a child, which can be pretty depressing when you were born into a situation that you have no control over. Throughout my childhood consistently being different and having different practices than people around me, while frequently discouraging, helped me identify with who I was as a person and grow my confidence because by not giving much consideration to what people